There exist many sorption type materials used as wipes, pick up devices for organic spills such as' imbibing polymer bead filled booms, discs and pillows, and so forth, which are used on land and water and underwater installations as well as in portable units in transport including safe shipping containers, on board boats, planes, cars, trucks, and so forth. Many hazardous materials are used which have inhalation, ingestion, and/or body surface contact properties detrimental to people and their safety as well as desirable animal and plant life, and the environment in general, and many of these are organic in nature.
It is unfortunate, however, that, aside from self-indicating materials such as, for example, darkly colored crude oil and dyed fuels, a relatively unmistakable and easy to identify visual indication is unavailable to help one ascertain as to whether or not an organic contaminant may be undesirably present. What is lacking and needed, therefore, is a simple, easy to identify visual type indication that a spill or other release of a contaminating organic substance has taken place or overwhelmed a protective sorbent barrier that has been used as a preventive or prophylactic material or device for containing the contaminant.